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TRULY GREAT LUXURY SPORTS CARS ARE RARE.

IN A WORLD OFTEN DIMINISHED BY MEDIOCRITY, GENUINE DESIGN INNOVATION AND ENGINEERING ACCOMPLISHMENT ARE AVAILABLE ONLY TO THE DISCERNING FEW. SEDUCTIVELY POWERFUL AND EXQUISITELY FINISHED, THE ASTON MARTIN DBS IS THE ULTIMATE BLEND OF REFINED PERFORMANCE AND MINIMALIST LUXURY.

Outstanding power with supreme control: Aston Martin introduces its ultimate luxury sports car, the Aston Martin DBS. The most potent production Aston Martin ever made, the DBS represents the synthesis of raw power, racebred technology and design excellence. Powered by a hand-built V12 engine producing 380 kW (510 bhp/517 PS), the DBS delivers breathtaking power and performance. Beneath the flowing lines of the lightweight bodywork, the DBS’s components have been honed to create an exhilarating driving experience: taut, dynamic and monumentally fast, but always highly controlled.

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Power Beauty Soul

Striking beauty with an underlying strength: the dynamic abilities of the DBS are made explicit through the muscular elegance of its bodywork. Crafted from aluminium and carbon-fibre, every surface, curve, line and crease has a function, expressing the car’s potency, performance, agility and speed before the start button has even been deployed. The deep spoilers, flared wheel arches and essential scoops and vents convey pure athleticism, without compromising a quality that is integral to every Aston Martin: beauty.

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Power Beauty Soul

The DBS is a machine with soul, created for the open road. As well as offering outstanding performance, the DBS is a luxurious sports car in the classic mould, a sporting two-seater that offers refinement, comfort and an unrivalled place to be for fast, elegant travelling. The DBS is a technological tourde-force wrapped in an exquisite body. The combination of modern materials and traditional skills is an essential element of the Aston Martin experience. In the DBS, the fusion of power, beauty and soul is without equal.

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Power Beauty Soul

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The DBS embodies pure elegance with the raw power of Aston Martin’s racing heritage. Using technology developed in competition, the DBS is a direct descendant of the DBR9 – a thoroughbred race car which has won many of the world’s greatest GT endurance race titles, most notably back-to-back GT1 class honours at the coveted Le Mans 24-Hours in 2007 and 2008.

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To start the DBS is pure theatre. Ignition is controlled by a stainless steel and sapphire ECU (Emotion Control Unit), as refined and elegant as a fine timepiece. Once inserted into the dashboard, the ECU glows red in delicious anticipation of the glorious sound of the V12 engine.

The unmistakable form of an Aston Martin, with flowing curves, complex surfaces and an unrivalled, sculptural beauty; the DBS is every inch a classic Aston Martin, from the hand-finished grille to the carbonfibre rear diffuser. The aerodynamic excellence of the bodywork is unsullied by superfluous spoilers or wings, allowing the lines to run cleanly from bonnet to boot lid.

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The design of the DBS conveys the car’s enormous potential, with a seductive flow that incorporates aggressive detailing and a powerful stance. Like a well-toned athlete in a figure-hugging suit, the bodywork of the DBS is a tight wrapping on the muscle that lies beneath, expressed in the taut lines and heavily sculpted flanks.

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Low, purposeful and sleek, the DBS communicates performance and agility. Despite its unmistakable silhouette and muscular posture, the DBS is also the model of stylish discretion, with perfect proportions that create a sophisticated and desirable statement.

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Representing the height of Aston Martin’s technological abilities in car design, the DBS is an open invitation to drive: the supreme temptation. With adaptive suspension that can adjust to virtually every situation, it is perfectly at home in the city, on the open road or on the track.

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The Aston Martin DBS is a sublime example of exquisitely detailed design, from the five hand-finished alloy slats that form the main grille, to the power bulge on the carbon-fibre bonnet and the LED indicators in the classic Aston Martin cast metal side strake. Every element is beautiful, yet strictly functional.

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The aluminium and carbon-fibre bodywork of the DBS appears to shrink tightly around the 20" wheels, through which one gets a tantalising glimpse of the car’s carbon ceramic brakes, a first for a road-going Aston Martin. These race-bred brakes are lighter, more durable and deliver outstanding stopping power and fade resistance.

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The DBS represents the pinnacle of race-bred performance combined with hand-crafted elegance and a hand-trimmed interior featuring the latest technology, peerless ergonomics and supremely finished materials. From the unique profile of the polished alloy gear knob to the highly engineered packaging of the 6.0-litre V12 engine, no aspect of the car is overlooked.
Above Optional Piano Black trim

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The clear, crisp graphics, precise operation of the controls and beautiful finish make the interior of the DBS a very special place to be. The centre console is a blend of analogue instruments and digital technology, including an advanced audio system, Apple iPod® connector and satellite navigation, regulated by controls fashioned from solid, turned aluminium.

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Tasked with creating the opulent feel of a true luxury sports car whilst also saving weight, Aston Martin’s designers have used special semi-aniline leather, with its softer, more sensual feel and distinctive aroma. The Alcantara and semianiline leather sports seats are electrically adjustable and bear the DBS signature stitch patterning and logo.
Optional Piano Black trim

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The interior is designed around the driver, providing clear information and primary controls which fall naturally to hand. The main instrument cluster features white numerals on a dark graphite background, while the re-profiled steering wheel perfectly complements the DBS’s intuitive and supremely balanced handling.
Optional Piano Black trim

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The unique leather saddle is a luxurious accessory. Hand-made by a master saddle maker, it combines lightness and durability with elegance and practicality, including compartments for CDs, maps, guidebooks, etc to provide additional secure storage. The very latest addition to the Aston Martin – Jaeger-LeCoultre collection is the specially hand-crafted AMVOX2 Chronograph DBS, a timepiece that demonstrates the power, beauty and soul of the DBS. It is the first chronograph without push buttons, thanks to a patented vertical trigger system of mechanical levers. The contrast between highly polished, satin-brushed and matt surfaces, and the large luminescent numerals and counters perfectly complement the refined yet dynamic personality of the Aston Martin DBS.
Above AMVOX2 Chronograph DBS. Specially hand-crafted by Jaeger-LeCoultre for Aston Martin Far left Optional Piano Black trim. Satellite navigation system is not available in all markets. Please consult your dealer for details

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ASTON MARTIN DBS

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The definitive luxury sports car offers more than performance, beauty and comfort. It offers dynamic and aesthetic purity, an exquisite interior and a driving experience unsurpassed by any other car. With its race-car roots and luxury appointments, the Aston Martin DBS is just such a car. A 6.0-litre V12 powered, race-bred two-seater shaped by the aerodynamic demands of high performance, the Aston Martin DBS marries beautifully hand-finished materials with the very latest in performance technology. Its hand-built V12 engine produces 380 kW (510 bhp/517 PS), making it one of the most potent production Aston Martins ever made. Every line, crease and curve conveys the enormous potential of the DBS, a seductive blend of refinement and raw power. A combination of elegant design, innovative manufacturing processes, race-derived materials and components and Aston Martin’s unrivalled hand-build expertise makes the DBS a luxury sports car without equal.

PERFORMANCE

The DBS was developed as the ultimate expression of Aston Martin’s engineering and technical ability. The need for high-performance stability, handling ability and low kerb weight defined the car’s form and construction. The DBS is the first production Aston Martin to make extensive use of ultra-light carbon-fibre body panels. Its high levels of performance and control are delivered by the combination of inherent light weight, near-perfect weight distribution, a supremely powerful and flexible V12 engine, and a performance-honed sixspeed transmission, together with new carbon ceramic brakes and an adaptive dampercontrolled suspension system. The 6.0-litre V12 engine is the heart of the DBS. The DBR9 and DBRS9 race cars are powered by an enhanced version of this same V12, tuned to produce in excess of 600 bhp. The shared powerplant continues the strong link between Aston Martin’s road and race cars, just as the six-cylinder powerplant used in the DBR1 also powered the DB4, DB5 and DB6 in the 1950s and ’60s. Like all current Aston Martin powerplants, the engine is hand-assembled at Aston Martin’s dedicated engine facility in Cologne, Germany. The classic 6.0-litre V12 features a number of power-increasing enhancements. These include a ‘by-pass’ engine air intake port that opens above 5500 rpm to allow more air into the engine, and re-profiled air inlet ports that further improve airflow into the combustion chamber. Combined with a compression ratio of 10.9:1, the result of these enhancements is prodigious power and torque: the DBS delivers 380 kW (510 bhp/517 PS) at 6500 rpm. The short final-drive ratio ensures that the additional power is usable, enhancing in-gear acceleration in particular.

A true sports car has to be light and well balanced. A lightweight, rigid structure is the design engineer’s ultimate goal, and achieving the right balance between strength and mass is crucial. Like the DB9 and its sibling DBR9 and DBRS9 race cars, the DBS uses Aston Martin’s class-leading all-alloy VH (Vertical Horizontal) architecture, a lightweight bonded aluminium structure that provides outstanding strength and rigidity. Aston Martin’s engineers have also employed advanced materials and processes to further reduce weight and increase the DBS’s performance and dynamics. A key feature is the extensive use of carbonfibre body panels, as in the DBR race cars. In the case of the DBS, carbon-fibre panels are used for the boot enclosure, boot lid, door opening surrounds, front wings and bonnet, giving a saving of some 30 kg over more conventional materials without any reduction in strength. ‘There are no restrictions on form or shape in using carbon-fibre,’ says Marek Reichman, Aston Martin’s Design Director, ‘and the material allowed us to wrap bodywork around the 20” wheels and maintain the precise relationship between the wheel and the bodywork.’ Each panel has been carefully sculpted to direct the airflow around the car, into the engine and to help cool the braking system; the DBS bodywork is a harmonious composition of flowing, muscular forms. The carbon-fibre elements are produced using advanced manufacturing techniques developed from the aerospace and motorsport industries. The new panel-making procedure also delivers an industry-best surface finish, thanks to a patented ‘Surface Veil’ process. The application of a 200-micron layer of epoxy and glass to the panel delivers a class-A surface that is in line with Aston Martin’s tradition of high-quality finishes. Inside the car, the weave patterns on the exposed carbon-fibre elements have been carefully selected to present the most harmonious surfaces.

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kW
420 390 360 330 300 270 240 210 180 150 120 90 60 30

Power

bhp
560 520 480 440 400 360 320 280 240 200 160 120 80 40

Nm
570 560 550 540 530 520 510 500 490 480 470 460 450 440

Torque

rpm

rpm

CONTROL

Light weight, and the distribution of that weight, is essential to the dynamics of any sports car, affecting almost every aspect of its performance. As with the DB9 and DBR race cars, the Aston Martin DBS benefits from the inherent characteristics of the VH platform architecture. The VH underframe consists of pressed, extruded and cast aluminium components, bonded together to create an immensely strong underlying structure, while the DBS’s external body panels are manufactured from lightweight carbon-fibre, composite and aluminium. This structure means that weight is kept to a minimum, with the front mid-mounted engine and rear mid-mounted transaxle ensuring a near-perfect weight distribution: 85 per cent of the car’s weight is positioned within its wheelbase. The DBS’s polar moment of inertia is therefore very low, producing a car with natural agility, a strong, stable platform for the V12’s high power output and an exhilarating driving experience. In order to take full advantage of its extremely precise and rigid platform, the DBS employs a new and sophisticated Adaptive Damping System (ADS) which uses two separate valves to set the dampers to five different positions, allowing instant adjustment of the car’s ride and handling characteristics. The Adaptive Damping System automatically alters the suspension settings to ensure the driver has high levels of control at all times, with the ability to respond instantly to different driving conditions. The dampers can be ‘softer’, with a corresponding improvement in ride quality, or ‘firm’, providing improved body control for more spirited driving. The damper settings are determined by an electronic control unit which takes sensor readings from the car’s systems, including throttle position, brake position, steering wheel rotation and vehicle speed. This data establishes the prevailing driving conditions and the demands the driver is making on the car.

The DBS’s Adaptive Damping System perfectly captures the car’s sporting character, ensuring that stiffer dampers are available for better handling and control when the car is being driven enthusiastically, without compromising ride comfort during ‘normal’ driving conditions. A designated Track mode automatically sets all dampers to their firmest positions, making it ideal for circuit driving. The DBS is fitted with Pirelli P-Zero tyres that have been developed especially for the car, along with new 20” lightweight alloy wheels. The DBS has a revised Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) system, designed to help maintain maximum traction in challenging driving conditions. In default operation, the DSC is automatically on. Select and press the button for two seconds and DSC Track mode is engaged, raising the threshold at which the system intervenes to allow the experienced driver to explore the car’s limits. Hold the button for four seconds and DSC is disengaged entirely. The car’s braking system features another innovation, the first time Carbon Ceramic Matrix (CCM) brakes have been used on a road-going Aston Martin. The DBS’s carbon ceramic brake system consists of 398 mm diameter ventilated discs with six-piston alloy monobloc calipers at the front and 360 mm diameter ventilated discs with four-piston alloy monobloc calipers at the rear. The end result is shorter stopping distances with excellent resistance to fade in even the most demanding driving conditions. CCM brakes are also some 12.5 kg lighter than a conventional system, reducing the weight of the car overall and, in particular, the unsprung weight and rotational masses, further enhancing the performance of the suspension.

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EXTERIOR DESIGN

The DBS is manufactured using the finest materials, with a combination of hand-finishing and pioneering high-technology processes. From the exceptional quality of the design and finish to the advanced production techniques employed to save weight and create strength, the DBS is both a technological masterpiece and a powerful visual and tactile experience, inside and out. The DBS is the culmination of the DB bloodline, a synthesis of race-bred technology and road-going practicality that can be traced back to the iconic DB2, DB3S and DB4GT, and is continued today with the DBR9 and DBRS9 race cars. The DBS’s powerful, flowing form fuses the visual language of the DBR9 GT1 race car with the innate elegance of the DB series. Lower and tauter than other Aston Martin production models, the DBS has subtly flared wheel arches accommodating standard 20” diameter wheels and tyres. These provide excellent stability and grip, while giving the car a muscular and athletic stance that evokes the DBR9 and DBRS9. The design process involved continuous revision and honing of the DBS’s surfaces, ensuring that the shapes and forms represent perfectly the car’s inherent power, while never diluting the fundamental proportions that are the essence of every Aston Martin. The external detailing reflects the power and dynamic abilities of the DBS, with revised inlets and enlarged grilles that deliver more air into the engine and increase its cooling capacity. Subtle design details include a new five-bar design for the polished alloy main grille, as well as two additional vents in the enlarged power bulge on the carbon-fibre bonnet. These vents are entirely functional, improving engine performance and efficiency, yet also communicating the increased power output of the uprated V12 engine.

The DBS’s aerodynamic enhancements are shaped by Aston Martin’s racing experience. A carbon-fibre splitter and a new front bumper design help channel airflow around the car’s wider bodywork. The aerodynamics team worked hand in hand with the modelling team to ensure that the forms and surfaces of the DBS were sculpted for inherent stability at high speeds. The widened front and rear track improve handling and give the car a more muscular character. To accommodate this additional width, the surfaces of the wings have been sculpted and re-shaped with harder lines, which also serve to emphasise the car’s strength and power. The lowered ride height is accentuated by the enhanced side sills, carefully profiled to improve aerodynamic performance and reduce drag along the flanks. The iconic Aston Martin side strake, a design feature of every DB car since the DB4, has been redesigned for the DBS, incorporating a side repeater formed by a bank of LEDs. Improved aerodynamics shape the rear of the DBS, where the more prominent boot spoiler is carefully incorporated into the carbon-fibre boot lid. A horizontal chrome finisher is set into the lid to accentuate the wide track of the new car. The car’s flat undertray helps to improve the aerodynamics of the underbody surface and culminates in a new carbon-fibre rear diffuser, another feature carried over from the race cars. This device creates an area of low pressure beneath the rear of the car, reducing lift and improving high-speed stability without the need for large, unsightly external spoilers. The new one-piece diffuser also incorporates the DBS’s large and distinctive twin exhaust tailpipes.

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INTERIOR DESIGN

An Aston Martin interior combines comfort with function, the tactile delights of visible craftsmanship and modern materials with careful attention to detail. The DBS is no exception, focusing the driver’s attention on the most crucial information, without losing sight of the functionality, comfort and innovation that are synonymous with all Aston Martins. The interior of the DBS represents the epitome of Aston Martin’s commitment to using materials honestly, without disguise or embellishment. Lightweight materials are used throughout to save weight: door pulls are made from carbon-fibre, for example. In addition, the DBS special colour and trim range includes carpet woven with lighter fibres to save valuable kilograms and special semi-aniline leather is used throughout the cabin, not only saving weight, but also giving a soft feel and distinctive aroma. The DBS features unique primary controls, including a new steering wheel profile with a twin-stitched detail marker that indicates the ‘on-centre’ position. The gear knob is fashioned from polished alloy to echo the metallic finishes on the new centre console. The instrument cluster is designed with white numerals on a dark graphite background for excellent legibility. The twin-stitch pattern runs through the interior as a signature device; the alignment of both stitch lines is testament to Aston Martin’s ongoing tradition of exceptional craftsmanship. The DBS was conceived as a two-seater to reflect its racing lineage. If greater seating flexibility is preferred, however, customers can select the option of two rear seats in place of the two large storage areas behind the front seats. There is also the option of a unique, hand-crafted saddle with special compartments for CDs, maps, guidebooks, etc, which fits across the rear transmission tunnel. Manufactured by a master saddle maker, the saddle combines lightness and durability with elegance and practicality.

The DBS is fitted with 10-way electrically adjustable sports seats featuring the signature twin-stitch patterning together with the DBS logo embroidered onto the backrest. The DBS start sequence blends tradition with high technology and a touch of theatre. The ignition ECU (Emotion Control Unit) has evolved into a machined and highly tactile polished sapphire ECU, incorporating a stainless steel inner case. Resembling a fine wristwatch or a piece of contemporary sculptural jewellery, this sapphire ECU epitomises the spirit of the DBS. To operate the car, the sapphire ECU is inserted into a special docking station in Aston Martin’s signature dashboard-mounted sapphire starter button, and glows red to indicate when the car is ready to start. The engine is fired by pressing the ECU flush with the surface of the starter button. After pressing to stop the engine, the ECU automatically motors out of the dashboard for removal. The start sequence of the DBS is augmented by an all-new centre console design with a cast metal surround, crisp typography and new graphics. The new console has a traditional dial-face clock at the centre, flanked by two rotary controls for the heating and air-conditioning system, fashioned from solid, turned aluminium. These controls are also used to navigate the audio system, integrated Bluetooth telephone and satellite navigation functions. The Bang & Olufsen BeoSound DBS sound system has a total power output of 1000 W and has been exclusively developed for the DBS to provide outstanding sound quality. A slot for the six-CD autochanger is located at the top of the console, while underneath the centre armrest there is inbuilt connectivity for an Apple iPod®. Full Bluetooth integration is standard on the DBS, enabling you to synchronise your mobile telephone directory through the car’s display screens. It can also display the last 10 calls received, made and missed.

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SPECIFICATION
1 Not available in all markets. 2 Includes Traffic Messaging Channel (TMC) in Continental Europe. 3 Complies with UK Thatcham Category 5 requirements. Excludes subscription. Standard in UK. 4 iPod is a trademark of Apple Inc., registered in the US and other countries. 5 Data not applicable to North American market. 6 Data not available for ‘Touchtronic 2’ transmission.

Aston Martin Lagonda Limited, Banbury Road, Gaydon, Warwickshire, CV35 0DB England Telephone +44 (0)1926 644644 Facsimile +44 (0)1926 644333 www.astonmartin.com IMPORTANT NOTICE Aston Martin Lagonda Limited is constantly seeking ways to improve the specification, design and production of its vehicles and alterations take place continually. Whilst every effort is made to produce up-to-date literature, this brochure should not be regarded as an infallible guide to current specifications, nor does it constitute an offer for sale of any particular vehicle. The contents of this brochure represent the Company’s business as a whole. Text and photographs may relate to models not available for sale in some countries. Performance results may vary depending on the specification of the particular vehicle, road and environmental conditions and driving style. Published figures should be used for comparison purposes only and verification should not be attempted on public roads. Aston Martin Lagonda Limited strongly urges that all speed laws be obeyed and that safety belts be worn at all times. Distributors and dealers are not agents of Aston Martin Lagonda Limited and have absolutely no authority to bind Aston Martin Lagonda Limited by any express or implied undertaking or representation. PART NO: 703914 ENG Concept by Aston Martin DBS and landscape photography by René Staud Studios Lifestyle photography by René & Radka Designed and produced by Fingal